The Liverpool who are sitting on the top of the table are all set to face East-London club Crystal Palace this saturday. Liverpool gaffer Arne Slot will be looking to be only the fourth manager to win first four away games as a manager. The club’s third all time goal scorer Mo Salah has scored in the last three of his away games and will look to add more goals this season.
The Reds won their last Premier League against Wolves 2-1 in the Premeir League. They were also victorious against Italian side Bologna 2-0 in the UEFA Champions League. Liverpool sitting at the top of the table with 15 points, will look to increase their lead again in the East London.
Ahead of their game against the Eagles, Slot addressed the media and he had some good things to say about their opponents.
Crystal Palace – a quality side
While speaking to the media, the Dutchman praised how good this year Crystal Palace have been. The Eagles have managed to share spoils against the top clubs like Manchester United and Chelsea this season. Despite loosing a few quality players they have been good this season, after finishing the last season on a god note.
” Crystal Palace is a tough opponent to play, they have managed to get results against some of the top clubs like United and Chelsea, they will be a tough team to play against” said Arne Slot.
The Liverpool’s leader also insisted on how difficult it will be to play against a quality opposition like Crystal Palace after playing Champions League football at Wednseday night.
” It will be tough for us to play Palace on the weekend, as we just played on Wednesday night, but it’s the part of managing at the top club, that you have constant games” said Liverpool Manager.
Crystal Palace finished in the top 10 of the league last season ending the season on a high note. When asked about when will Liverpool will end up by the end of the season.
” I don’t see the points before the game, it’s lovely to see the table after the game when we win” said Slot
On Quality of his side
Mo Salah, can’t stop scoring goals at the age of 32, on the other side there’s Ryan Gravenberch who’s been progressing massively each game. Arne Slot was asked what’s the secret sauce to the quality of his side.
Ryan Granverch was awarded player of the month for the September month as well.
” They both are proper quality, and they are so good because they play for the team, and they also possess good individual qualities as well” said former Feyenord Man
Mo Salah scored an incredible goal i his previous game. The 32-year old Egyptian King is aging like a fine wine. Arne Slot said that it’s the quality of the team work that made that goal so beautiful.
” Mo could score that goal because we work as a team. That goal wouldn’t have been possible if Ibou hadn’t passed to Ryan and he gave a quality ball to a very good overlapping run of Trent and he gave the ball to Salah in space and from there he will finish that ball in the back of the net anyday”said Liverpool Manager
On Tight Schedule of English Football
Ryan Gravenberch who signed for Liverpool this summer and he has proved his quality from the day one. Liverpool coach insisted that it is really crucial to maintain the standard throughout the season. The schedule of the English football is so tight, that it becomes difficult to maintain that composure.
” Ryan played in a different league last season, and he played less minutes, but this season already I am pretty sure he played more minmutes than he has played the last two seasons” said Arne Slot.
Does International break disturb the rhythm of the club football?
” It is true that last time just after the International break, we lost the game, but I think we weren’t good enough, if it happens again then we will see, last time 10 of our players played all minutes. Mainly it’s South American lads who experienced bit of jetlag, but otherwise it’s fine”
” This time we will have only five players playing full minute and we will play on Sunday after the break, so we will have one extra day to prepare which gives us the advantage” said Slot.
Early Kickoffs or Away games?
Former Liverpool Manager Jurgen Klopp have been very critical of the early kickoffs. The Dutch manager has a different opinion.
” I would be stupid, if I say that early kickoffs are the problem, because we train everyday at 12. For us, I think we find it difficult to play away games, last season we couldn’t win 10 of the 18 away games, so I think it’s not early kickoff, it’s away games honestly”
Lack of chances and goals for the strikers
This season due to the change in the style of play, strikers like Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez didn’t get enough chances, so it becomes really crucial that these two players adopt to the new style of play and wingers also complement in providing more assists to these strikers. Slot believes that it’s the duty of the entire staff and the players to help strikers get more goals.
” Jota and Nunez are two different strikers, the team needs to adopt their style, as well as sometimes they need to complement to what we do on the pitch, it’s the combination of the both which will result in the welfare of the team”
On being carried away sitting at the top of the table
It’s very natural human tendency to get carried away from the success that you get, and sometimes in football teams take things for granted. On the contrary, Liverpool are magnetic to success and they have been a big club for past five years.
” We are Liverpool and we are a big club. Players like Alisson, Mo Salah and Trent are experienced they have been at the top. They have won the Premier League and Champions League, so we are used to it”.
Slot was also asked about the contract situations of Trent, Mo Salah and Van Dijk. He refrained from providing any further updates on the topic.
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